Bienfait

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Map Showing Bienfait Location in Saskatchewan - Map showing Bienfait Location in Canada

Located at: Section 19 - Township 2 - Range 6, W2

Latitude- 49° 09' 00“ N
Longitude- 102° 49' 00” W

Altitude- 1902 ft or 579 mtrs

Located in Rural Municipality of Coalfields #4

Dec 29, 1904 article

The Village of Bienfait was Incorporated Apr 16, 1912 by Archibald “Archie” Peter McNab, (1864- 1945)
Minister of Municipal Affairs, Government of Saskatchewan. Later He became Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan.

Vote to Incorporate as a Town was passed Apr 25, 1956, by 268 to 71.

Officially Incorporated as a Town- Mar 1, 1957

The Town with the 100 ft wide Main Street!
Other streets were surveyed at 66 ft wide.
But you can turn a semi around in Main Street in Bienfait.

Main St. looking North early 1950's
Photo from Alex Wilson Collection, sent by Margaret Cuddington

The Town is located between the CNR tracks to the South, and the CPR tracks to the North.
On the East of Town was the M&S Mine tracks, It is almost surrounded by railroads!
Bisected in half, east to west by Highway 18, which in town limits, is called Souris Ave.,
Today the Town has expanded north of the tracks, and that is the location of the Town Cemetery as well.

Population in 1915 was 150 persons
2006= 986 persons

Meaning of the Name BIENFAIT
The Town of Bienfait got it's name from the Railroad. Same as just about every other settlement back in the early 1900's
Contrary to the popular belief that it was named by a French Railroad worker when he pounded in the last spike of the day
at the town location and was heard to say “Bien Fait” or “Well Done” in French.
This was the belief for many years, but it is False.

The True Meaning of the Origin of the Name Bienfait, is found in CPR files.
They reveal that Bienfait was named by the Railway, after a Member of a Dutch Banking Firm,
based in Amsterdam Holland, named Adolphe Boissevain & Co.

This banking firm played a large part in introducing CPR shares to the European Money Markets,
To finance the construction of the Railroad, to places like Bienfait and Estevan.
The person who Bienfait owes it's name is Antoine Charles Bienfait
Now you know the rest of the Story!
Info above Copyright and Courtesy of: Bill Barry's Book, People Places

Antoine Charles Bienfait
Picture sent to me by Dirk Hoogeveen, Regina, with Thanks!

Antoine Charles Bienfait
b- July 6, 1857 in Amsterdam, Holland
d- May 14, 1899 in Paris, France
Father- Henri Jean Corneille Bienfait, b- June 20, 1818, Amsterdam, d- July 18, 1885, Amsterdam (Age 67)
Mother- Henrietta Maria Croockewit, b- Dec 22, 1824, Amsterdam, d- Oct 5, 1875, Amsterdam (Age 50)
Wife- Marie Jeanne von Hemert, b. Sept 29, 1868, Amsterdam
Married 31 Oct 1889 at Haarlem
2 Children:
1. Caroline Bienfait Bienfait, b- Sept 6, 1891, Amsterdam
2. Charles Constant Adolphe Bienfait, b- Mar 8, 1894, London

Small Towns
Small towns are an attitude
Toward helping one another.
Where each man finds special joy
In making glad the other.
A small town thrives on kindly words
And kindly deeds to share.
The essence of each day is this
Capacity to care.

Yes, small towns are an attitude
Toward loving simple things.
Like quilting bees and church bazaars,
And Christmas carollings.

A small town thrives on hayrack rides
And programs in the park.
With picnics and school affairs
And bonfires after dark.

The attitude is one of peace
From deeply thankful hearts,
Who saw the deeds that must be done
And gladly did their part.
(Author Unknown)

Note- This is one of the First History Web Pages I made, it was originally created July 2, 1999, and now I have over 1,000 pages on this site, 134 on my Bienfait pages alone, and seem to be adding more every day! Please Don't tell my wife! The site has been on Geocities, then Tripod, Then 1&1.com, now on this 4th Server. When I started I was using Windows 95!. A lot of typing has taken place! One day will have to work out how many words on the site. Mrs. Mitchell, my typing teacher at ECI, would be amazed, as I had 2 left hands back then. I have worn out, and recycled thru, 2 or 3 desktops, and working on my second laptop now. I have wore out many keyboards in the past 20 years, typing this info in. I have enjoyed every minute of making it! Hope you enjoy the history I have condensed here, even a little bit!

DISCLAIMER
I do NOT live In, or Near Bienfait.
I am in NO way affiliated with the Town Office, or Any Local Business.
Only the Past Great History is presented here.

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